Shuttle cock



4 INVENTOR-- iqyhwhd 61 500192,

SHUTTLE COCK R. c. BOOTH Filed May 9, 1955 Nov. 3, 1936.

. BY MQ ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 3, 1936 UNlTED STATES SHUTTLE COCKRaymond C. Booth, Rochester, N. Y., assignor, by mesne assignments, toPrisca C. Booth,

Rochester, N. Y.

Application May 9, 1935, Serial No. 20,621

3 Claims.

The object of this invention is to make a new and improved form ofshuttlecock for use in the game of badminton, or battledore andshuttlecock.

Another object of the invention is to provide in the shuttlecock areservoir of oil or grease which can be taken up by the feathers, withthe result that the feathers will be kept in a flexible or elasticcondition, rather than a stiff, brittle condition. This makes itpossible to use ordinary goose feathers in the shuttlecock and give thema much longer life than they would otherwise ordinarily have.

Another object of the invention is to provide the base of theshuttlecock with a groove, in which is wrapped a wick suitablyimpregnated with oil, such as olive oil, that will be readily absorbedby the quills of the feathers and will travel through the feathers bycapillary attraction.

Another object of the invention is to increase the weight of the corkbase of the shuttlecock by the oil, so that any other loading of theshuttlecock would be unnecessary.

Another object is to make the feathers moistureproof by adding oilthereto in the manner above described.

These and other objects of the invention will be illustrated in thedrawing, described in the specification and pointed out in the claims atthe end thereof.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved shuttlecock.

Figure 2 is a vertical section through the shuttlecock on the line2(B-2ZB of Figure l, the shuttlecock being shown on a large scale.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the cork base of the shuttlecock shownin Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a vertical section through the cork base of the shuttlecock,showing a different type of construction.

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the plug shown in Figure 4.

In the drawing like reference numerals indicate like parts.

In the drawing reference numeral I indicates the cork base of myimproved shuttlecock. This base is preferably made of a single piece ofcork, which is rounded on the end to a ball or spherical shape asindicated at 2. The upper portion 3 is preferably cylindrical in shape.Between the lower portion 2 and the upper portion 3, the base is cutaway to form a groove 4. Into this groove is wound a piece of cottonwicking 5, which is long enough to go twice around the groove and isthick enough to substantially fill it. The weight of the wick used inthe groove is substantially equal to the amount of cork that isdisplaced thereby. The weight of the wick is increased by adding theretoabout eight to ten 5 grains of oil, preferably olive oil or any oil thatwill be drawn through the quills and feathers by capillary attractionand make them flexible, or reduce their brittleness.

This cork base is perforated with suitable openings, in which areinserted the quills 6 of feathers 'I. These quills are long enough sothat the ends of them are embedded in the inner layer of the oiledwicking. Before the quills are inserted, the top of the cork base iscovered with a layer of leather 8, through which the quills areinserted.

On the outside of the cork base is applied a layer of material, such askid leather, indicated by the reference numeral 9. This covers thespherical and cylindrical surface of the base completely and concealsthe groove 4 and the packing therein. Over this leather covering isplaced a tape l0, which is preferably of a different color from thecover 9 and gives to the base an ornamental appearance.

With the quills embedded in the cotton wicking, the oil in the wickingis absorbed by the quills and travels along the quills and impregnatesthe quills and the feathers, making the feathers and quills less brittleand more elastic, in consequence of which they do not tend to split upor break so quickly.

Furthermore, the extra weight that is given to the base of theshuttlecock by the presence of the oil makes it unnecessary to add anyother weight or load to the base, such as has heretofore been customary.

It also makes the feathers moistureproof, so that they remain of uniformweight, and their weight does not vary with the humidity of the air.

In Figure 4 I have shown another type of construction of the shuttlecockin which the cork base I5 is not cut away on the side with a groove 4,such as is shown in Figure 2, but is cut away on 45 the top with acone-shaped socket indicated by the reference numeral Hi. In the socketis fitted a cone-shaped plug or cork H, the sides of which arechanneled, as indicated at l8, l8. Into each of these channels is placedthe quills of the goose feathers, and this plug with the quills of thegoose feathers nested in the channels is inserted in the socket, andcompletely fills the socket except at the bottom, where a disc-shapedopening I9 is left in which the wicking, impregnated with oil, 55

is contained. This wicking is in contact with the ends of the quills, sothat the oil is absorbed therefrom and will travel along the quills withthe same result as above described.

The walls of the channel 4, the walls of the socket l6 and of the plugI! are preferably coated so that they will not absorb the oil. This willmake all of the oil available to the feathers and quills only, where itis needed. The plug I! will be cemented or fastened in any suitablemanner in the socket, so as to be securely held therein and hold thefeathers in place.

I claim:

1. A shuttlecock having a base, feathers having quills inserted intosaid base, a supply of oil held in the base in contact with the quillsof said feathers, from which the oil can travel through the quills andfeathers.

2. A shuttlecock having a base, feathers having quills inserted intosaid base, an annular groove around said base into which the quills ofthe feathers extend, wicking impregnated with oil held in said groove inContact with the quills of said feathers.

3. A shuttlecock having a base, feathers having quills inserted in saidbase, a recess in said base, a supply of oil held in said recess incontact with the quills of said feathers, said oil being adapted to beabsorbed by the quills and feathers.

RAYMOND C. BOOTH.

